(Newser)
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North Korea has answered the latest round of US sanctions with a message that isn't exactly friendly—or entirely grammatical. America's ongoing sanctions policy is "groundlessly stirring up bad blood towards it," says an unnamed official in state-run news, NPR reports. "The persistent and unilateral action" to impose sanctions "patently proves that [the US] is still not away from inveterate repugnancy and hostility toward the DPRK." (Still not away from? "At this rate, North Korea will be scoring 800s on its verbal section in no time," quips Gizmodo.) North Korea also denies perpetrating the Sony hack, calling the accusation "absurd" and citing cyber-experts who doubt Pyongyang's involvement.

The new sanctions may be "largely symbolic," per Gizmodo, but the BBC notes that the US Treasury is involved and has disrupted revenue streams to North Korean leaders before. What's more, President Obama warns he may return North Korea to a list of state sponsors of terrorism, which would diminish global aid to North Korea, the AP reports. Senator Robert Menendez, the senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, supports such a move but criticizes Obama for calling the hack "an act of cyber-vandalism," reports Bloomberg. "Vandalism is when you break a window," says Menendez. "What happened here is that North Korea landed a virtual bomb on Sony’s parking lot." (In related news, Kim Jong Un's eyebrows are shrinking.)

America Is 'Stirring Up Bad Blood' Not our fault N.Korea is not following the recipe for detant and public relations. This is one cake that going to fall if Pudge decides to rant/rave and turn up the heat in the oven. The Dough Boy is as lousy a cook as a leader and peace keeper. So, who wants the first piece ?!?

Chris Farley

Jan 5, 2015 8:02 AM CST

We are acting like morons. It came out that an ex employee of SONY was the leaker, but we put sanctions on NK. And we all know the sanctions reach down to everyone in that nation, and some call sanctions an act of war.

radioredrafts

Jan 4, 2015 8:59 PM CST

Kim should eat some salads and get some exercise. Then it'll be good blood.